Wheeled, robotic vehicles operating in a service environment such as a hospital, public transportation station, etc., are often required to operate quickly in confined, dynamically changing spaces. In addition, these robotic vehicles must maneuver while carrying heavy payloads to reduce the burden of the people they are serving. In many applications, the mass distribution of the payload varies significantly as the payload changes. Carrying heavy payloads having different mass distributions with high acceleration to operate quickly in confined, dynamically changing spaces presents challenges. The combination of heavy payloads and high acceleration can lead to the generation of excessively high driving forces and the potential for vehicle instability or loss of traction. This can create a hazardous situation in a service environment as the mobile vehicle is often operating in close proximity to humans.
In summary, improvements in the design and control of wheeled, robotic vehicles are desired to improve operational safety while quickly maneuvering in a service environment including humans.